Bexley Jazz in the Park Series 2018

There is news this week of an exciting new outdoor jazz series to enjoy in the warmer months of 2018. The inaugural Bexley Jazz in the Park Series kicks off on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28th at 4pm in Bexley’s Havenwood Park, with music from saxophonist and Bexley resident Bryan Olsheski with the Bobby Floyd Trio starting at 4:30pm. This year’s lineup includes four great jazz groups with direct Bexley ties in four free events on Memorial Day and the last Sunday of each month, June through August, with future concerts featuring Columbus Video Game Ensemble, Capital’s Spectrum faculty group, and Birdshack. This new series was inspired by Bexley residents Dara Schwartz and (JazzColumbus.com founder) Mark Subel, who also co-founded the Harrison West Jazz Stage, and their partnership with the Bexley Main Event Committee will bring the community spirit of the Jazz Stage to their new neighborhood. The Jazz in the Park Series will also incorporate area food trucks, so come hungry! Keep reading for full details from the Series, and get ready for a fun new family jazz event this summer!

Bexley Jazz in the Park Series Launches Memorial Day Weekend

The inaugural Bexley Jazz in the Park Series will commence on Monday May 28th from 4:00 to 6:00pm in Bexley’s Havenwood Park, with music starting at 4:30pm. The 2018 summer season will host four concerts on the last Sunday of each month through August (with the exception of the first concert, which will be on a Monday).

The concept was inspired by Bexley residents Dara Schwartz and Mark Subel, who also co-founded the Harrison West Jazz Stage, a successful neighborhood jazz series now in its 6th season in the Harrison West neighborhood of Columbus.

“When we moved to Bexley and saw the beautiful park just south of our home at Havenwood Park, we felt it would be a perfect destination for a neighborhood jazz series. The Harrison West jazz series brought the community together in such a positive light that we wanted to bring this to Bexley. The city has been immensely supportive, essentially taking the reins to help bring this neighborhood event to fruition,” said Mark Subel.

“Mark approached me with an idea of bringing the jazz series to Bexley, and we immediately started riffing on ideas for how to make it a success. Hooking this idea up with the Main Event Committee seemed like a natural partnership, and they’ve taken the ball and run with it,” said Mayor Ben Kessler. Lori Ann Feibel, chair of the Main Event Committee of the Bexley Celebrations and Events team, said “Jazz in the Park will bring a wonderful, casual, afternoon event to the community. Havenwood is a perfect neighborhood park setting for residents to grab a picnic blanket and enjoy a peaceful afternoon with friends and neighbors.”

To celebrate the debut of the Bexley Jazz in the Park Series, the Bexley Chamber of Commerce will host an accompanying Food Truck Festival. The first 100 people in attendance are eligible to receive food-discounted vouchers at the Chamber’s tent. “We wanted to bring a community-focused food truck event to Bexley and this is a natural partnership for us,” said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Elaine Pelz. “Providing discount vouchers for food truck items makes the event accessible to all residents. We hope the community will come out and enjoy the picnic-like atmosphere.”

This season’s performers have a direct tie to the Bexley neighborhood, making the first year a truly local affair. The series kicks off with Bexley resident and renowned saxophonist Bryan Olsheski, along with legendary Columbus pianist Bobby Floyd.

The lineup also includes Bexley jazz guitarist, resident and Capital alum Zakk Jones and his ensemble, performing popular video game tunes in the jazz idiom; Capital’s faculty jazz group, Spectrum; and Birdshack, a local jazz trio known well for their Monday night peformances at Giuseppe’s Ritrovo.

Each concert is free to the public and will feature at least one food truck at each performance. The Bexley Jazz in the Park Series is being organized by Bexley’s Main Event Committee of the Bexley Celebrations and Events Team, which is funded through a variety of corporate sponsorships, donations from the community, and through the support of the Bexley Community Foundation.